The RPSO reports reports criminal scammers are at it again and local citizens are being targeted by phone calls threatening them with arrest and prosecution for failing to comply with jury service in federal or state courts. The sheriff’s office says people are being instructed to get a "Green Dot Visa card" to pay the $1,495 fine. Tommy Carnline the public information officer with the Sheriff’s office says remember, the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office or any other law enforcement agency will never attempt to collect any monies and instruct anyone to get a "Green Dot Visa Card."

A Ville Platte man who led law enforcement on two chases within days before being captured Monday is being held on multiple charges . 36 year old Samuel Lee was taken into custody after a chase ended in Pine Prairie just before 11:30 Monday morning . Lee had been sought since he led officers from multiple agencies on a chase in a stolen vehicle into Rapides Parish on Sunday morning. Authorities are still looking for Ashley Lamb, who police say fled from the Saturday chase into some woods here in Rapides Parish.

Governor John Bel Edwards is continuing his pledge to end the regular legislative session early, so a special session can begin to take up revenue raising measures that he says are needed to avoid going over the fiscal cliff. But chairman of the House Republican Legislative delegation, Lance Harris, says we’ll have a better idea on how much money the state has available to spend when the Revenue Estimating Conference meets Thursday. Harris says the House Appropriations Committee plans on approving a spending plan for next fiscal year next week.

Emotional testimony is expected in the House Transportation committee today as a bill will be heard, requiring drivers to use only hands free communication devices. Suzanne Salter from will testify in favor. Salter says her daughter was killed in 2014 by a teenage driver who was texting at the time of the fatal crash.. Salter says the doesn’t say you can’t talk on a cell phone while driving, it just can’t be in your hand. Currently state law says you can’t text while you drive.

To listen to the political pundits you would think Louisiana has one of the highest tax rates in the country.. Truth is, it is quite the opposite. A 24-7 Wall Street report shows Louisiana is one of the least taxed places to live in the country. Louisiana taxpayers are tied for fifth in the least amount of taxes paid to local and state governments when compared to other states, Paying just 8-percent of their income to state and local governments.

The full Senate approves a bill to allow children to wear bulletproof backpacks at school. Believe it or not, It’s currently illegal to wear body armor on school property. The author of the bill is West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth who says he filed the bill after a shooting at a Florida school shooting killed 17 people. The measure moves to the House for more discussion.

Gas prices usually rise in the spring time as refineries shut down operations to switch from a winter grade gasoline to a summer grade. Triple-A fuel analyst Don Redman says the price at the pump has increased 11-cents over the last month, but much of that increase occurred in the weeks leading up to Easter weekend. The current statewide average is $2.44 a gallon. Redman says there could be a slight increase in the price when the summer driving season arrives.

The Senate approves a bill that makes it clear bestiality is illegal in Louisiana. There is a law that says people can’t have sex with animals, but it’s unenforceable, because it’s contained in legislation that was ruled unconstitutional in 2003, because it criminalized sex between two males or females. Morrell says its important the state has a way to arrest someone for bestiality. Morrell says the law protects thoes who have to touch animals in private areas, because they are either a doctor or for scientific research.

Legislation that increases penalties for teachers who engage in sexual relationships with students is set for a hearing in a Senate committee today. Bossier City Senator Ryan Gatti says it makes such an offense a felony and it also expands the law to include coaches and team managers and doctors. Gatti says under this law a teacher could face a prison sentence between 5 and 40 years.

A case of measles is confirmed Monday by Louisiana state health officials. A traveler from the United Kingdom was hospitalized over the weekend in New Orleans. Test results for measles came back positive. The virus is known to be highly contagious with symptoms that can include high fever, runny nose, followed by red spots on their skin. The Louisiana Department of Health says the best protection against measles infection is vaccination.

Sports..

A promising start to the week for the LSU baseball team ended with a thud, as the Tigers dropped the final two games of their road series against Texas A&M to finish the week 2-2. The top-25 rankings took notice of those final two games, as the Tigers dropped across the board. LSU fell two spots in Baseball America's rankings to 19. Four in Perfect Game's to 22 and six in D1 Baseball's to 23. Tonight, the tigers play host to LA Tech. airtime 7p KSYL 970am / 100.3 HD3fm

After taking three games from the San Diego Padres over the weekend and the first of a three game series from the Twins last night, the Astros continue their series in Minnesota tonight It’s the Astros and the Twins. Airtime 6:35 on 94.7 ESPN.

The New Orleans Pelicans clinched their spot in the Western Conference playoffs with a 113-100 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night . The Pelicans will be heading to the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season and improved their record to 47-34 with one game left in the regular season.